The present invention relates generally to digital film processing systems, and more particularly to a digital film processing solution and method of digital film processing.
Images are used to communicate information and ideas. Images, including print pictures, film negatives, documents and the like, are often digitized to produce a digital image that can then be instantly communicated, viewed, enhanced, modified, printed or stored. The increasing use and flexibility of digital images, as well as the ability to instantly communicate digital images, has led to a rising demand for improved systems and methods for film processing and the digitization of film based images into digital images. Film based images are traditionally digitized by electronically scanning a film negative or film positive that has been conventionally developed using a wet chemical developing process.
In a traditional wet chemical developing process, the film is immersed and agitated in a series of tanks containing various processing solutions. The temperature and concentration level of the particular processing solution is strictly controlled to ensure uniformity of the development process. The film is immersed in each tank for a specific period of time.
The various processing solutions are expensive and become contaminated during the development process. These contaminated solutions form environmentally hazardous materials and various governmental regulations govern the disposal of the contaminated solutions. In addition, criminal penalties may attach to the improper disposal of the contaminated solutions. As a result, the costs associated with developing film continue to increase.
A relatively new process is digital film processing (DFP). DFP systems scan the film during the development process. DFP systems apply a thin coat of one or more film processing solutions to the film and then scan the film through the coating. Neither the processing solutions nor the silver compounds within the film are washed from the film. One problem faced by DFP systems is the properties and application of the processing solution. In particular, the processing solutions are applied to the film in an open environment instead of being immersed and agitated in tanks of processing solutions. The properties of the processing solution are a compromise between the various requirements of the DFP system. For example, a low viscosity solution would have a tendency to run-off the film and possibly contaminate the DFP system. Similarly, variations in the surface of the processing solution should be minimized to reduce variations produced during the scanning process.
One implementation of the present invention is an aqueous developer solution for use in digital film processing, comprising a developing agent and at least one surfactant or thickener. In a particular embodiment, the developer solution includes both at least one surfactant and at least one thickener. In another embodiment, the developer solution may have a surface tension of less than about 30 dynes/cm and/or a viscosity of between about 5,000 and about 30,000 cP. Suitable surfactants for use in the developer solution include, but are not limited to, fluorosurfactants. Suitable thickeners include, but are not limited to, solubilized cellulose. The developer solution may further comprise a buffered solution having a pH greater than or equal to about 8, and may include a variety of other components such as one or more activators, restrainers, preservatives, antifoggants or accelerators. In yet another embodiment, the developer solution includes both a color developing agent, as well as a developing agent which is not a color developing agent.
Another implementation of the invention is a method of processing a photographic film, comprising the steps of coating an aqueous developer solution containing at least one surfactant or thickener onto the film, thereby developing the film, and scanning the film through the coating of developer solution. The developer solution may comprise, for example, any of the embodiments described in the previous paragraph. Another embodiment of the processing method includes the step of coating at least one additional processing solution onto the film. The additional processing solution may comprise, for example, a stop solution, an inhibitor solution, an accelerator solution, a bleach solution, a fixer solution, a blix solution, and a stabilizer solution. In another embodiment, the additional processing solution may be coated onto the film prior to the scanning step. The additional processing solution may have a surface tension of less than about 30 dynes/cm, and/or a viscosity of between about 10,000 and about 30,000 cP.
Yet another implementation of the invention is a film processing system comprising: a film loader operable to received exposed film; an applicator operable to coat 100-10,000 micrometers of a developer solution onto the film, wherein the developer solution includes a developing agent and at least one surfactant or thickener; and a scanning system operable to digitize at least one image contained on the film and produce at least one digital image. The scanning system may operate to digitize at least one image contained on the film through the coating of developer solution. By way of example, the scanning system may digitize at least one image contained on the film with light within at least a portion of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and/or light within the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The film processing system may further include a halt station operable to apply at least one additional processing solution onto the film, and the at least one additional processing solution maybe chosen from the group consisting of: a stop solution, an inhibitor solution, an accelerator solution, a bleach solution, a fixer solution, a blix solution, and a stabilizer solution.
Another embodiment of the film processing system further comprises a development station operable to control the temperature and humidity of the film after the application of the developer solution. The film processing system may also include a printer operable to print the at least one digital image, such as an ink jet type of printer. A communication system operable to communicate the at least one digital image over a network (such as the Internet) may even be includes in the film processing system. The film processing system may also include a memory device operable to store the at least one digital image, such as a CD, a DVD, a removable hard drive, or an optical disk. The film processing system may be embodied as a self-service kiosk or a photolab.
Another implementation of the invention is a method for processing film comprising the steps of: receiving an exposed film; coating 100-10,000 micrometers of a developer solution onto the film, wherein the developer solution has a viscosity between about 5,000 and about 30,000 cP; illuminating the film with light; measuring a light intensity from the film and producing sensor data; and processing the sensor data to produce at least one digital image. In one embodiment of this method, the film is illuminated through the coating of developer solution. By way of example, the light may be within at least a portion of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and/or within the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The method may further include controlling the temperature and humidity of the film after coating the film with developer solution.